Following my inaugural experience with one of London’s ‘Boris bikes’ I considered reviewing the slick Barclays Bikes app – the bank is the main sponsor of the cycle scheme in the capital. Yet apart from being too London-centric I didn’t want to find myself saying anything complimentary about the banking industry. So I checked …

The CycleStreets web site

In my experience if you are a confident cyclist it's very frustrating unless you choose the fastest route option. If you don't it sends you down little side streets that might be the shortest route, but definitely not the fastest (lots of junctions, parked cars and pedestrians to worry about).

@The CycleStreets web site

Not such a good result for me ... its suggestion for the "quiet" route home for me goes via the Cribbs Causeway shopping centre and associated M5 junction! Admittedly the route is still described as "quite busy" whereas the route which mostly follows the route I take down the A38 is described as "very hostile"! Especially strange as the "quiet" route takes you down a section of 50mph dual carriage way while the "very hostile" A38 is 40mph with a bike lane!